Electric switch



T. W. THMRLWELL 36AM ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Jan. 4, 1945 Patented Dec. 12, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC SWITCH Thomas W. Thirlwell, Akron, Ohio Application January 4, 1943, Serial No. 471,261

1 Claim.

My invention relates to electric circuits, and has among its' objects and advantages the provision of an improved general purpose switch of the silent action type.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a face view of a wall plate such as is associated with a common wall outlet box illustrating my invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a sectional Viewr along the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view along the line 3--5 of Figure 2 with the switch open.

Figure 4 is a similar View showing the switch in its closed position.

Figure 5 is a face view of the contacts and the switch actuating lever, and

Figure 6 is a sectional view along the line 6 6 of Figure 2.

In the embodiment of the invention selected for illustration, I make use of an ordinary wall outlet box I0 having flanges l2 to which is secured a strap I4 by screws I6. The Wall plate I8 is attached to the strap I4 by screws 20. The switch structure 22 is mounted on the strap I4.

The switch structure 22 comprises a body 24 of insulative material. This body is recessed in one face, as at 26 to provide accommodation for a switch lever 28. This lever pivots about the axis of a pin 38, and the recess 26 is so shaped as to provide a three point contact with the lever, as at 32. The body 34 of the switch lever is 'ilat and circular in contour throughout its greater extent and has one face lying against the bottom face of the recess 26. Shoulders 36 are formed on the switch body for selective engagement with shoulders 38 constituting wall areas of the recess 26. Thus the lever 28 is limited in its pivotal movement, as when shifted to oil and on positions.

When viewed according to Figure 2, the outer face of the switch lever 28 lies flush with the body 24. A second body 40 of insulatlve material is attached to the body 24 by screws 42. A bowed spring 44 is housed in a groove 46 in the body 4U and has its apex engaging the switch lever 28 to frictionally bind the lever against the bottom face of the recess 26. The bottom face of the recess 26 is in the nature of a flange 48, since the body 24 is provided with an open ing 60 to provide accommodation for a xed contact strip 52 and a flexible contact strip 64. Durable points 56 and 58 are respectively attached to the strips 52 and 54.

Terminal screws 68 and 82 extend through the strips 52 and 58 and are threaded into the body 24 to clamp the strips against shoulders 64. A thin insulative plate 66 is attached to the body 24 by screws 68 for closing the opening 58.

One face of the switch lever 28 is recessed at 18, which recess includes an angular wall 'I2 arranged to engage the bend 'it in the spring strip 54 when the lever 28 is pivoted to one position, thereby bringing the contacts 56 and 58 into circuit closing engagement. In the position of Figure 3, the strip 5ft lies loosely in the recess lll, but in the position of Figure 4, the strip bears against the side face of the switch lever to hold its contact 58 in rm engagement with the contact 56. The switch lever 28 is silent in operation and is easily moved from one position to the other. All the parts operate noiselessly.

In Figure 6, the pin 38 is supported in openings 'I6 in the bodies 24 and 40.

Two screws 18 attach the switch structure 22 to the strap I4, these screws being accessible through bores in the body 24.

Openings 82 are provided in the strap I4 and the face plate I8 for accommodating the switch lever 28.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain my invention, that others may. by applying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service.

Iclaim:

In a switch, an insulated body having a recess therein, a lever pivoted in said recess for turning to on and off positions, said lever having a recess in one side face thereof shaped to provide a camming surface inclined axially of the lever and in a direction concentric with the pivot, a fixed contact mounted on the body and spaced laterally of the recessed face of the lever, a resilient contact arm having one end fixed to the body and extending transversely of the lever, said arm being bent longitudinally to offset its other end transversely with relation to its xed end so that said other end oi the arm is biased into the recess of the lever when the latter is in oil position, and a contact carried by said other end of the arm movable into engagement with the xed contact by engagement of the arm with the camming surface of the lever when the latter is turned to on position.

THOMAS W. THIRLWEIL. 

